Archive for October, 2011

Some businesses, due to their very nature, have a hard time securing a merchant account anywhere else. Attributes like the type of service or product being sold, credit score and previous history in the processing of such application plays a major role in such a situation. When this happens, merchants of these kinds of businesses would do well to obtain and International Merchant Account instead.  Most domestic based payment service providers would refuse the applications by these businesses and the only option left is to acquire an International Merchant Account which is quite suitable for their business.

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Why go for International Merchant Account

Specific industries have no other options but to opt for an International Merchant Account. Sometimes, specific attributes are overlooked and not really addressed in the processing of application. Factors such as the total monthly income and even the real size of average ticket are missed out on in the underwriting procedures or diverge from the real data, thus resulting in the extinction of the application. With an international merchant account a business is able to accept payments of credit and debit cards from customers all over the world. With this type of account cost of processing is diminish,   there is a marked increase in revenue and extensive market coverage.

Many establishments have a higher chargeback rates for their customers than others of their type in the industry. This often results to non-acceptance of domestic merchant providers for the application of your company leaving you no other option but to apply for International Merchant Account. You should remember that to reduce charge back issues, you need to guarantee customer satisfaction through excellent service or product and providing all-out customer support.

Optimization of services offered

To save you lots of time and money, seek out a payment service provider who has vast experiences in the field. To do this, conduct in-depth study to find the one who can answer your needs without overwhelming you with their rates and very strict regulations. You must remember that no one size fits all and there would always be some company out there who can provide you the solutions to your varied needs. Oftentimes, most service providers will only give you a single answer to your needs which is really impractical. Domestic merchant accounts more often than not, charges costly for processing electronic payments. Thus most global-based businesses often resort to seek an International Merchant Account instead to facilitate their credit or debit card payments.

Benefits

An International Merchant account will render several benefits to the merchant in terms of being able to reach out a wider range of market thus increasing its sales and revenues.  This account also affords the merchant the chance to being able to fully utilize the speedy development of global e-commerce, enable the reduction of charge back fees for global transactions as well as diminishing business risk thus protecting the operations of the establishment. By offering customers the option to pay in their own currency, sales are also boosted. Most clients would feel much more comfortable paying in their own local currencies.

High risk merchant services can be obtained from a high risk merchant account provider by business who by their very nature cannot be accommodated by domestic merchant providers. Tradesmen who engage in businesses which are fairly average or normal can obtain a standard merchant account from any banks or electronic payment processor. However, a business that is considered high-risk has no other option but to opt for a high risk merchant account from an offshore or international provider.

Businesses considered as High Risk

Businesses considered highly risk needs High Risk Merchant Services to provide them the necessary facilitation of credit, debit and other electronic form of payments. Establishments who have a very prominent sales quantity and very high returns are considered highly risky by payment providers. Although there are numerous proliferating online businesses who might qualify this category, the leading ones include the following, to wit:

  • Adult products and services
  • Online dating services
  • Online gambling and gaming
  • Online debt services
  • Online auctions
  • Computer stores
  • Travel services
  • E-wallet and E-cash
  • Pharmaceutical products
  • ISP and hosting services
  • Lotteries
  • Rental of automobiles
  • Cell phone dealers
  • Water purifiers
  • Escort services
  • Detective services
  • Downloading software
  • Multi-level marketing
  • Amusement or recreation services
  • Insurance products
  • Weight loss centers

The cost

Considering the nature of the businesses, the rates charged for availing High Risk merchant services are considerably higher than the ordinary merchant account. The setup fee as well as the processing fee for the credit cards is quite exorbitant compared to other account types which do not even charges you any setup rates. These very expensive charges could be attributed to the fact that when a High Risk Merchant account provider approves the account, it is taking a gamble that could greatly impact its own business standing. Moreover, the fact that this type of account is not readily available domestically may also be a contributing factor to its being highly priced.

Last Resort

There are times that a business considered to be highly risky are unable to obtain the High Risk Merchant services. When this happens, the merchant’s last resort would be to apply with a third party debit or credit card processor. He should be able to influence such processor to provide him with the necessary services or else he would be left with nowhere to run. Sometimes, re-organizing or reconstituting his business to yield a lesser high-risk profile would be the only other alternative solution to this dilemma.

The Quest for High Risk Merchant Services provider should not discourage any online business who wishes to expand the coverage of his market globally. We know for a fact that getting a good payment service provider will often spell out the rise and fall of your business online. Unlike doing business face to face where you can require your customer to physically hand over their credit cards for you to be able to swipe it at designated virtual credit card terminals, online business can be quite risky and subject to fraud. That is why obtaining the High Risk Merchant Services of a provider who have proven its expertise on the subject area is very highly commendable act. A provider which does not only provide payment transaction services but also periodically conducts risk management undertakings to help you monitor any fraud or irregularities which might affect your business is a good management move.